Microsoft granted design patent for the Surface Touch Cover

We’ve got quite the variety when you look at the sea of tablets, slates, ultrabooks, and convertibles we have now in the Windows 8 landscape. Crazy designs like the ThinkPad Yoga and Dell XPS 12 spring to mind when thinking of the different ways manufactures have differentiated themselves.

Microsoft threw a wrench into the traditional PC world last June when it announced the Surface family of devices. The Surface is also unique in its design and has recently been awarded a design patent for it's Touch keyboard cover and magnetic coupling.

The keyboard is arguably one of the more unique aspects of the Surface RT and Surface Pro but you also have the VaporMg casing to the built in kickstand that helps the Surface stand out. The main reason for the patent is the coupling the Surface offers to connect to an input device and the Touch Cover. That "click in" sound you get when you connect the keyboard is now covered by patent.

The patent was filed back in May 16 of 2012 and hopefully with its approval it will discourage other companies from making a play at copying the functionality and design of the Surface and its keyboards.